Be Alright
by insightfuldamon
Summary: What do you do when you lose what matters most? Can the peace found after death be a more convincing reality than the truth? A look into Damon and Elena's journey after the tragic events of the season 5 finale.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Elena**

It happens slowly and then it is over in an instant. The vehicle swerved and hit the fence, then there was a moment of slow weightlessness as it flew through the air: suspended time. As if waking up from a dream, the car hit the water and panic ensued. But she wasn't worried about her life, it seemed like her time had been up so frequently in the past, that the end was inevitable. She immediately turned towards the friend she had once shared a crib with, the one whose heart she did not mean to break.

He had been knocked out from the impact, and as water began to increasingly fill the car, she shook him and cried his name begging him to wake up. Trying everything she could to save him, breaking the glass, opening the door, nothing seemed to work. Within seconds the car was completely full of water and they were in the bottom of the river. That was when she saw Stefan approach the door, rip the door apart, and swim over Matt to save her...but she knew he would listen to her. She pointed to Matt, demanded that he save him, and the moment she saw that Matt was safe, water completely filled her lungs, and there was nothing.

Things never work out the way they should, not in her life. Waking up shouldn't have been an option. She was okay with finding peace, whatever that may be or look like. But he saved her, just as he always had, and just as he always promised. His hand used to graze her cheek, and brush the hair that fell into her face, and their eyes would meet. And that was all she needed.

She had been told to go to the service they held. She was supposed to let go and move on with life, that is what people had been telling her. "Drink some tea, Elena." "Get out of bed, Elena." "Enroll in some classes, Elena." "Eat, Elena." "Stop crying, Elena." "Get over it, Elena." "Let go, Elena." ...their voices a mashed up blur in her mind. One demand after the next, but she refused any order to be okay. She didn't want any fake attempt at comforting her with tea and vodka.

She didn't even feel bad about it anymore. The morning of the service, Caroline had come into her room of the foreclosed house they had just taken up residence in, wearing a new black dress with a slight triangle cut out just at her waist. "You can never have too many black dresses in Mystic Falls," she had once said.

A fake smile plastered on her face veiled with a combination of disgust and what appeared to be genuine concern. "Elena you need to go. You have to have some closure over that part of your life," she paused looking at the state of her room, and ignoring the piles of clothes on the floor and the coffee cups that lined her nightstand, "I went shopping and I saw this dress that I think would really look nice on you, for today."

Caroline began to unzip the black bag that surrounded the coat hanger to reveal the dress. It was a short sleeveless black dress with lace overlay, she had worn a similar one before with her hair in a fish tale side braid...tears began to fill her eyes. She quickly turned her head, "You have done your duty as _best_ friend. You can go now."

Stefan was the only one that she hadn't seen since that night. From what she could hear while lying in bed, he had been the one to take care of arrangements for the funeral and made sure that Damon was buried in the Salvatore family plot. So, she was actually surprised when he was the next person to come to her door on that horrible morning.

"Elena..." he said with a condescending look on his face that she began to hate after Jeremy had died.

"What? What is it Stefan?"

"You need to go. Damon would want you to start healing, and find peace..."

Before he could finish his words, Elena ran out of bed and taking him by surprise, and with one swift motion, snapped his neck, and his body fell to the floor. She pulled his body outside her door, and slammed it shut. Shutting out the world...shutting out her life...she crawled back into bed.

There was a knock at her door. When she didn't respond, Alaric called out to her, asking if he could come in. She got up and opened the door. He was wearing a suit and a concerned expression. Preparing herself for what he was about to say, or possibly echo, she took a deep breath.

"I moved Stefan to the couch. He got up 20 minutes ago, so..." he paused. "Elena, I understand why you don't want to go to the service. If it wasn't for Jeremy, I don't think I would go either."

Looking down at her hands, she began to play with her nails, picking off the clear gel manicure that she had gotten so many weeks ago. "How's Jer?"

"He's dealing the best way he can. Tyler and Matt have been taking him out for the past couple of nights. Bonnie's service was yesterday. Her mother wanted me to tell you that she understands."

Still concentrating on her hands she said, "Does she..." she paused trying to formulate her next words. "Does she know what happened to the other side?"

"Elena, I didn't ask her. She's a vampire, we were at her daughter's funeral, it just didn't seem like the right time."

Placing her hands on her lap, for the first time, she looked up at Ric. "But she could know something about what happened. Wouldn't she want to get her daughter back?" She said, searching his eyes for some understanding.

"Dammit, I should have gone so I could ask her, or get her to tell me something. She has to know, Ric. They had to have gone somewhere. He isn't dead. He isn't gone...he was everything...and my everything...my everything didn't just disappear. He is not dead."

Crumbling under the weight of her words, tears began to flow uncontrollably. Alaric immediately took Elena in his arms and held her as she cried into his suit jacket.

"It's okay to have hope, Elena. Sometimes that's the only thing we have left."

**Two weeks later**

She took a deep breath and turned over, folding her pillow in half, trying to reposition herself. One leg out of the covers, one leg in...then both legs out, and she turned on her other side...then she put both legs back under her blanket and just stared at the ceiling. She was a tornado.

She looked at the clock, 3:43 AM. Sighing, she got out of bed and pulled on her Nike black leggings and a purple sleeveless running top. She reached into her closet and grabbed a backpack. It wasn't the same type of backpack she used for school, it was one meant for hiking and withstanding the elements. Opening a dresser drawer, she put in a sweatshirt, jeans, the converse sneakers Jer had bought her a few days ago, and a couple of long sleeved henley tops. Then crawling over to her bed, she reached in between the mattress and pulled out a 4 stacks of bills and put them in her back pack. Finally, she went to the bathroom, reaching above the toilet, opening the cabinet she carefully pulled out the rolls of toilet paper until she found Bonnie's grimoire.

Replacing everything as it was, she tucked the book safely in her back pack. Taking one last look in the mirror above her dresser, she brushed her hands through her hair and pulled it back into a sloppy bun. Elena looked into her brown eyes, that seemed to have gotten darker with time, and not moving, but staring directly into her self.

She then looked down into the bowl she kept her earrings and necklaces and pulled out a long silver chain with keys connected by a brass ring. It was the only thing left that she had from that night. Liz had come by shortly after Damon's funeral and gave them to her. She had never seen Liz cry, but when she handed Elena the keys to Damon's Camaro, the only words she could get out was, "I know."

Elena placed the necklace around her neck, so the keys rested just above her heart. Throwing a jacket on over her top, and placing the backpack around her shoulders, she quickly ran downstairs and out of the house that was never really a home.

**XXXXX**

**Damon**

He rolled over, and with his eyes still closed, he outstretched his arms searching for someone that was supposed to be by his side. Realizing no one was there, he groaned until he suddenly heard a familiar voice. "Daddy...Daddy...wake up! Mommy made pancakes for you."

He opened his eyes to see Jack looking back at him, about 3 inches from his face. He had his mother's olive skin, but he inherited his Dad's piercing blue eyes. Damon picked Jack up and placed him right next to him in his bed. "What else did Mommy make us?" he said as he kissed Jack on the cheek.

Giggling Jack screamed, "Daddy, you're all itchy."

It wasn't until she walked into the room, that Damon looked up. Having recently gotten back from a run, her face was still a little flushed. She had a red checked apron tied around her waist over her Nike leggings and purple sleeveless top. Her chestnut brown hair was tied in a sloppy bun, with strands falling into her face.

She was holding a tray, and as she walked towards him she said, "Jack! What is the point of surprising your father on his birthday, if you are going to ruin the surprise?"

She placed the tray of fluffy banana pancakes, applewood smoked bacon, a small cravat of maple syrup, and fresh squeezed orange juice, down over his lap. A red rose was in a small white porcelain vase, next to a card. Jack must have made the card this morning, but Elena couldn't help but draw a few hearts in the corner of the card that read, "Happy Birthday to the bestest Daddy in the whole entire universe". Of course, Jack had to add his own drawings of aliens and space ships. He was going through a Star Wars phase, insisting on watching the movies over and over, which he didn't mind all that much.

Elena bent over, tenderly and swiftly kissing him on the lips. Not completely satisfied with the quick peck, he dramatically pulled her down, and kissed her...she tasted a wonderful combination of bacon and sweat. And she giggled as Jack yelled, "Ewww" and ran out of the room.

Once released, she sat next to him and took a drink of his orange juice. She looked at him, studied his face for a moment and almost whispered, "Are you happy?"

He brushed the few strands of hair out of her face, and smiled. "I am happy."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Elena**

She had been walking for twenty minutes, when she came to the highway outside of town. The fog had rolled in that morning, and even though it was still dark, she knew the sun would start rising within the next hour. She carefully rested her backpack on the side of the road, and taking her hair out of it's sloppy bun, she let it fall, cascading past her shoulders. She walked to the middle of the road, and with her hands outstretched as if she were walking the balance beam, she followed the white lines that dotted the road. Placing one foot in front of the other, sure to point her toes as her gymnastics instructor had taught her.

After she had walked a few feet, she pivoted on one foot and turned around, sure to continue walking the line. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a beam of light and she could hear an approaching vehicle. Within a second, she was flat on her back, her arms crossed over her chest, staring at the stars, counting the brightest ones in the sky. Even the screech of breaks, and the sound of heals running towards her, didn't stop her from counting 11 illuminating stars.

She could feel heavy breath on her cheek, and feel someone trying to shake her.

"Oh my god, Oh my god. Excuse me! Excuse me! Miss, are you okay? Your eyes are open, but I can't tell if you are okay. Are you in shock? Are you lost?" and then under her breath, she added, "Please be okay."

Without moving a muscle in her body, still staring at the sky, and in a monotone voice, Elena said, "No, I'm not. I am so not okay. I am just...lost."

"But you are in the middle of the road," she said while backing away.

"I'm not that kind of lost. I am metaphorically... existentially lost," she said continuing to look ahead.

And before the woman could respond, Elena swiftly got up and pushed her up against the Porsche Cayenne that was still running. Making eye contact with her, she said, "Don't scream. Don't move."

"I don't want any trouble," she pleaded. For the first time, Elena looked at the woman. There was something familiar about her, maybe it was the strawberry blond hair or the perfectly applied coral lipstick, but Elena paused.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Amelia."

'Hi Amelia. I have a secret. I don't know what I am doing. Sure, I have a plan and some sort of idea of where to go, but I don't know what I am going to do if I fail. What if it doesn't work, Amelia? What if I fail and there is no way to get him back? What if...what if..." and with those words, Elena choked back tears and said, "...he is lost forever."

Even though she was under compulsion, Amelia looked at her with a combination of concern and fear, "Are you going to hurt me?"

"I don't know, because I need you car and I am just...really really hungry." As she said the words, her eyes turned red and the veins around her eyes became visible. Grabbing Amelia by the shoulders, she sunk her teeth in her carotid artery, relishing in the taste of her blood.

Just as Elena was about to break free, someone rushed over and pulled her off of Amelia. "Elena, stop."

Amelia fell to the ground, unconscious.

Refusing to wipe the blood from her face, she angrily said, "What are you doing here Stefan? I would be more than happy to snap your neck again, if you want, except Alaric isn't here to move your body to the couch."

Ignoring her attempts to get him off her back he said, "I'm here to stop you from making a huge mistake. He isn't coming back. I looked for answers and everyone said the same thing, the other side is completely destroyed. Bonnie and Damon must have moved on, and you should to. This path you are going down, is only going damage you."

"Really Stefan, you looked? Who did you ask, exactly? Was that why you went to Portland with Caroline, so you could do some digging and find out what happened? Because while you have been dealing with Damon's death, Alaric and I have been actually looking for a way to get him back," then biting her wrist, she walked over to Amelia and fed her her blood.

"And what does Alaric think of you skipping town?" he said while slowly walking towards her.

Ignoring him Elena, still crouched over Amelia's body focused on healing her.

Continuing to walk towards Elena, Stefan said, "What about Jeremy? What if you die searching for something that doesn't exist?"

Before Stefan could get any closer to her, Elena grabbed a waking Amelia placing her arm around her throat, standing behind her and using her as a shield against Stefan. "Alaric knows what I need to do, and Jeremy understands. So you can take your attempts to force me to go back to that house outside of Mystic Falls and your condescending attitude and leave."

And with her final words, she pushed a somewhat lucid Amelia into his arms and said, "And take care of this while your at it."

Elena ran to the side of the road to grab her backpack, jumped into the still running Porsche and drove off. Thinking about those 11 stars, she looked down at the GPS and punched in New York City.

**XXXXX**

**Damon**

"Don't look at me!" she gurgled out while holding her silk robe closed, and covering her face with her hand.

Closing the bathroom door, Damon slowly walked over to her, grabbed her hand so he could look into those doe eyes, "But you look so cute when you are getting ready in the morning."

Ignoring him, she freed herself from his grip, pulling her hair out of her face with one hand, and with the other she took the toothbrush out of her mouth and spit while rinsing her mouth with cold water. Damon just stood there with a smile on his face, almost laughing he handed her one of the wash towels they received as a wedding present from Jenna and Alaric with the initials DSE embroidered in the middle. Alaric, of course, had also gotten Damon a bottle of aged bourbon, which Elena promptly stole for a night with the girls. "Yeah," she said while wiping her face clean. "Yeah, I am real cute right now."

Walking closer to her, he brushed her hair out of her face, allowing his fingers to slowly trail her cheek to her neck to her collarbone. Whispering he said, "Don't you want me to have a happy birthday?"

Elena's hands dropped to her side, leaving her robe slightly open revealing a black lace bra. He took his time untying her robe, but she was unmoving; still, anticipating his next action. He first kissed her forehead, then he softly kissed her lips. He easily lifted her up onto the bathroom counter, throwing off the makeup that had been perfectly laid out. Kissing her harder, more deeply, she wrapped her legs around his waist. He moved from her lips to her neck, and just as her hands reached towards his belt buckle, they heard the doorbell.

As if woken up from a dream, Elena hopped off the counter, and retied her robe. "You'd better get that," she said, smiling and giving him one last peck on the lips.

Groaning, Damon straightened his paisley blue tie, and tucked his crisply ironed shirt in.

"Oh babe, I'm going to need the Porsche today. I have to take Jack to my Mom's, before dinner with your _brother_ tonight."

Taking one last look at Elena, he said, "Of course. I prefer to take the Camaro anyways."

"Wait, did you get that fixed? I thought it was still in the shop after the accident a couple of weeks ago," she asked.

Looking at the mess of make up left on the floor, Damon's brows furrowed. "Yeah, I must have forgotten," then glancing up he said, "I'll have a car service take me to work."

Turning to leave, he ran downstairs to get the door. As he reached for the doorknob, Jack ran to him, and hugging his leg he said, "Don't go to work today. Stay home and play with me."

Laughing, Damon picked up Jack, who was getting bigger and heavier by the day. "I wish I could stay home with you."

Opening the door, his smile fell, "Well hello, blonde one."


End file.
